4 days in Ho Chi Minh City

Day by day

1. Day 1: War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace

   War Remnants Museum, Independence Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, then Nguyễn Huệ walking street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      War Remnants Museum

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Start on the top floor with the photojournalism galleries, and allow time to recover afterwards; some images are very distressing.

   2. Late morning

      Independence Palace

      Its 1960s reception rooms, rooftop helipad and basement command bunker with maps and radios are preserved much as they were.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Broken rice

      Street stalls and specialist cơm tấm restaurants in every district, with the smoke of charcoal grills marking the best ones.

   4. Afternoon

      Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

      Allow 20 minutes (free). Check whether the interior is open during your visit; the square and façade are the main draw either way.

   5. Evening

      Nguyễn Huệ walking street

      Come after sunset when it is cooler, and take the lift (for a small fee) or stairs up the café apartment block for a view of the boulevard.

2. Day 2: Bến Thành Market and Saigon Central Post Office

   Bến Thành Market, Saigon Central Post Office and Saigon Opera House, then Landmark 81 SkyView in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Bến Thành Market

      It is touristy but still a landmark, with the main Metro Line 1 station beneath the square outside.

   2. Late morning

      Saigon Central Post Office

      Allow 30 minutes (free). Send a postcard from the counters; then walk into the adjoining Book Street.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bánh mì

      Street carts and famous bakeries across Districts 1 and 3; queues at the best-known ones move quickly.

   4. Afternoon

      Saigon Opera House

      The Municipal Theatre, opened in 1900 at the top of Đồng Khởi street, is a flamboyant French colonial building that now stages concerts, ballet and the long-running AO Show, a bamboo acrobatics performance inspired by southern village life.

   5. Evening

      Landmark 81 SkyView

      Go late in the afternoon to see the city in daylight and after dark on one ticket.

3. Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts and Ho Chi Minh City Museum

   Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, Ho Chi Minh City Museum and Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens, then Vĩnh Khánh food street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

      Allow 1–1.5 hours (low cost). Visit during the midday heat; it is quiet and makes a good break from the market.

   2. Late morning

      Ho Chi Minh City Museum

      The grand staircase and gardens are popular for wedding and graduation photos.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Southern phở

      Long-running phở shops in Districts 1 and 3, busiest at breakfast.

   4. Afternoon

      Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens

      Allow 2–3 hours (low cost). Go early in the morning when animals are more active and the gardens are cool.

   5. Evening

      Vĩnh Khánh food street

      Order a few dishes to share, point at what neighbouring tables are eating, and check prices on the menu before ordering.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Củ Chi Tunnels

   About 1.5–2 hours each way by road each way. Getting there: Tour bus, car with driver or river boat.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Củ Chi Tunnels

      About 1.5–2 hours each way by road (Tour bus, car with driver or river boat); about 70 km.

   2. Day

      Củ Chi Tunnels

      A network of tunnels used by Việt Cộng fighters, with sections widened for visitors to crawl through, booby-trap displays and reconstructed bunkers. Bến Đình is the site most tours visit; Bến Dược is larger and usually quieter.

   3. Evening

      Back in Ho Chi Minh City

      Dinner: try Hủ tiếu Nam Vang.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, District 1 (Đồng Khởi) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện ($) suits budget, nightlife and solo travellers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–17 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.8 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Ho Chi Minh City
• 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 5 days in Ho Chi Minh City
• 7 days in Ho Chi Minh City

Questions travellers ask